Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

10:40
Studying Interactions of Staphylococcus aureus with Neutrophils by Flow Cytometry and Time Lapse Microscopy
Published on: July 17, 2013
Lysosomotropic amines modulate neutrophil calcium homeostasis
1Department of Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
Journal of Cellular Physiology
|May 1, 1988
Summary
Lysosomotropic amines disrupt neutrophil calcium regulation by altering lysosomal pH, impacting calcium stores and neutrophil function. This highlights the critical role of acidic lysosomes in maintaining cellular calcium balance.
Area of Science:
- Cellular Biology
- Immunology
- Physiology
Background:
- Lysosomotropic amines alter lysosomal pH, affecting neutrophil function.
- pH and calcium regulation are interconnected in excitable cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the impact of lysosomotropic weak bases on neutrophil calcium homeostasis.
- Determine the relationship between lysosomal pH and intracellular calcium release.
Main Methods:
- Treatment of neutrophils with lysosomotropic weak bases.
- Measurement of cytosol free calcium.
- Direct measurement of calcium release from permeabilized cells.
- Use of monensin to collapse transmembrane pH gradients.
Main Results:
- Weak bases caused significant calcium release from organelles, independent of inositol-triphosphate-sensitive stores.
- Monensin also induced organelle calcium release.
- Lysosomotropic amines modulated the initial calcium response to f-met-leu-phe, making it more transient.
- Resting cytosol calcium levels remained normal to minimally elevated.
Conclusions:
- An acidic intracellular compartment, like the lysosome, is crucial for neutrophil calcium homeostasis.
- pH-sensitive and inositol triphosphate-sensitive pools represent distinct intracellular calcium stores.
- Lysosomal pH perturbation contributes to the inhibition of neutrophil function by lysosomotropic amines.
Related Concept Videos
Lysosomes
Lysosomes are membrane-enclosed spherical sacs derived from the Golgi apparatus. The most important function of the lysosome is degrading macromolecules and biological polymers that are released during membrane trafficking events such as the secretory, endocytic, autophagic, and phagocytic pathways. The degradation is carried out by several hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment of the lysosomal lumen. These acid hydrolases are involved in cellular processes such as cell signaling,...
pH Regulation in Cells
pH plays a critical role in maintaining normal cellular activities. It helps maintain the structure and function of various proteins, dictates the charge on cellular membranes, and is crucial for metabolic reactions inside the cell. Moreover, cells use the energy from the proton motive force to generate ATP.
Cytosolic pH
Under physiological conditions, the cytosolic pH is slightly more acidic than the extracellular pH. However, cells must prevent further acidification of their cytosol to...
Cytosolic pH
Under physiological conditions, the cytosolic pH is slightly more acidic than the extracellular pH. However, cells must prevent further acidification of their cytosol to...
Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration
Calcium is an essential signaling molecule required for various cellular functions. Calcium pumps and ion channels on cell and organellar membranes, such as those on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulate calcium concentrations inside the cell. They remain closed, keeping the cytosolic calcium levels low at a resting state.
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway
Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure to...
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
Calcium is not only the most abundant mineral in bone but also the most abundant mineral in the human body. Calcium ions are needed for bone mineralization, tooth health, heart rate regulation and strength of contraction, blood coagulation, the contraction of smooth and skeletal muscle cells, and the regulation of nerve impulse conduction. The average calcium level in the blood is about 10 mg/dL. When the body cannot maintain this level, a person will experience hypo or hypercalcemia.

